Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-11-02
CHAPTER Y.
DARK ADvTNTUrE.

CHAPTER Y.
DARK ADVENTURE.
Mr. Miles started his team up, anil
swept out of the village at Il good rounI
trOt. He fct somewhat veXG.l that
any one would suspicion his hired man
of being an outlaw and thief
The sun was down as he entered the
wooded road that led up Preston Flat.
The horses trutted on and the wagon
ratified along the road. while the ia
rolled in volumes from the wheels, set
Ting on the trees and bushes at the
edge of the highway.
''Who could have put such a notion
in Dawes head?' soliloquized Mr.
Miles. 81 wonder who thinks | would
harbOr a thief; and besides it Is m in
suit To Gods handiwork to call that
boy tiicf. He is the very picture q
honor, and the man who can look into
those blue eyes and call him thief is
fool and liar
II was evident, however. from the
troubled manner of the farmer, that
his mind was not quite at rest OF the
subject. Il might be fooled, and it
might be true that he does belong to a
gang of rascals. who had taken it into
their heads to rob me. don't believe
it, but it may be so. No, Walter
BrOwniield is honest-blast the ewes of
the man who would even so much rs
suspicion him.
1t was now quite dark and the hoI scs
were going along at an even walk.
Mr.. Miles was so busily engaged with
his own veXatious thoughts that he did
not note the flight of time, the dark
ness or the slow gait of the horses.
Il will watch him anyway" he final
" concluded. at will do no harm to
watch ths boy. An honest man don t
care if he is watched, though l know
he's no thief"
The wagon ratified on, the night air
was cold and frosty. Suddenly loud
shouts were heard on the road ahead
of HIM
"Hclloa, what does that mean?" said
Mr.. Miles, stopping his team.
Help! murder! robbers! murder!
murdcrl' cried a shrill voice.
Get up, Bally, Blaze. there is trouble
ahead" shouted the farmer, laying the
whip to the horses and starting them
forward at a gallop.
''Bangr went shot from the same
direction whence came the sounds for
help.
''Help, murder, thieves thievesi"
cried the same voice, though evident Y
growing weaker each moment Mr.
Miles could hear other voices, the
snorting and flying of horse and
heavy sounding blows.
knife him, cuss him and stop his
noisc,' one rough voice was heard to
say.
There was 4 heavy blow, a wild
shrek, and just at that moment the
farmers wagon came around bend
in the road, not forty yards from where
the struggle was going on.
30. yes, here we come, a whole reg
iment of u.s." shouted the undaunted
Mr.. Miles, standing up in the wagon
holding his heavy whip to fell the as
sassin with the butt. lie saw n struo-
Cling mass through the darkness and
heard few muttered Oaths. With a
snort of terror, a horse attached to a
buggy run up the road at full speed.
There was also a cracking of brush as
though persons were trying to escape
through the woods.
''Fire on the rascals, boy! Shoot
them down! We've got them at lastr'
shouted the farmer, waving his whip
aloft, rs though he was addressing a
thousand men. His horses ran up to
the spot where the struggle had taken
place, and SHE'D to one side of the
road and stopped.
';Hclloa! what did YOU see2" SAID
Mr.. Miles. A deep groan came from
the ground; he looked and discovered
the dark outlines of an object lying on
the ground.
Some one is hurt" said the brave
farmer, leaping from the wagon.
Say, mister, are you bad htTt?"
No reply came.
II guess he Is" said Mr. Miles bend
ing over the body and raising the
head. "Who can it beF' He knew
that he was large man the moment
he attempted to raise him. He struck
a match. and by the light of it gazed
on tie face of man past middle age.
The hair was short, face smooth
shaved, and there was an ugly wound
on the back of the head and another on
the shoulder.
ats the stranger at Bushville, and
they have tried to murder him." said
Mr. Miles, in astonishment "He is
not dead, though, and l must get him
in the wagon"
This was no easy task, but the
farmer succeeded as the stranger be-
| gan to recover.
"Are you badly hurt?"
II have a severe bruise on my head.
and a blow on the arm. believe it is
broken" answered the stranger
well, don't talk about it now; I'll
make YOU as comfortable as | can, and
take YOU home with me, where you
shall stay until you get well.
The wounded man expressed his
thanks. and the farmer braced him up
in his wagon and drove slowly home
ward.